Artificial lures are typically configured to simulate the life-like action of fresh and salt water fish and other bait. It is well known to fishermen that different fish are attracted to different colors and sizes of fishing lures. Fishermen have noticed that certain lakes, bays, and off-shore fishing yield different results with different colors and sizes of lures. This difference depends in part upon a number of factors, including water clarity and temperature. Thus, on a certain day in a certain lake, a lure configuration in yellow can yield one result, while the same lure configuration in red might yield an entirely different result. A larger skirt may make a bait appear larger and, thus, may affect the size of fish caught. And in some situations, fish may be attracted to multicolored skirts or skirts having reflective properties.
Ideally, fish react to a lure as if the lure were food, or as if it were a threat within the fish's territory. Conventional lure skirts are used to enhance and exaggerate lure movements to make the lure more attractive to target fish. Skirts are also used to camouflage the hook in the lure. It is believed that colored skirts attract attention, agitate fish, or exaggerate lure movement.
Lure skirts generally comprise a head or collar member and a plurality of attached trailing strands. Strands can conceal the hook and which are usually made from an elastomer. Skirts are formed from a flat sheet of cured elastomer cut to have a waistband at one end and elongate trailing filaments at the other end.